Nightshade: Chapter XIV
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XIV–The Lady and The Dressmaker
Stepping out into the city was unlike anything Noë had imagined.
Though it looked different from the way her aunt described, she could see the guest hall adjacent to the palace to the right, jade covering its roof of bronze and marble in the mountain alcove and a vast canal running through the architectural valley, marble walkways lining its length at the base of grey mountains peaking upwards to the sky with green karsts.
Directly in front of the palace at the top of the largest mountain was a temple of white and gold, jewel tone stained glass windows adorning it here and there at the top of endless white stone stairs.
Rivets of water poured down the mountain side into the canal, running onwards through the overflowing waterfall on the edge of the plateau between the mountains and into the sea, a great harbour beneath the land’s edge.
She bent down to the harboured water, its cool clear rivets running past her fingers with gentle pull towards the cascading waterfall. She moved her fingers in small circles, feeling the power the water generated from force alone.
She looked to the sun and breathed in.
Though this adventure was unplotted with casualties already plaguing its pages, she would not allow it to prevent her from appreciating where she found herself now.
Outside of the village, hundreds of miles from the solitude they were forced to live in away from Hel’s watchful eye.
Here she was safe.
Angeana watched her with a warm heart as she took in her surroundings. She was a sweet girl, young and respectful.
Aztrit would be proud.
“Noë? This way.” Angeana called as several guards flanked them.
Noë stood and followed them down the stone pathway where buildings and shops lined the mountain walls, covered with slants to shield from the rain’s run off. Glass and jewels shone in the carved valley every way she looked, buildings dripped with precious metals and architecture seemingly manufactured as if several years ahead of the village she had seen in comparison.
“Tell me, what interests you dear?” Angeana spoke as they continued walking, her nods in acknowledgment to those who bowed or curtsied to her as they passed. “Is it arts as you have said?”
“Yes.” Noë said as she did her best to navigate through the people still in her way, dividing her from the Queen. “I have always been attracted to things of that nature. Sketching, clothes making–”
“Ah!” Angeana said in delighted surprise as she signalled to the guard to expand to include Noë in the wide berth she was granted. “I, too, enjoy clothes making. Perhaps when we reach Lillir you can give me your opinion on a few colours I wanted to purchase. Oncinth was not interested and the shopkeep said they were so-so, but I think they have real potential.”
Noë smiled brightly at Angeana as she grasped her hand, patting it only the way a mother could. “I’d be happy to. I would offer to make my clothes as well, I don’t want you to have to go through the trouble of purchasing me an entire wardrobe.”
“Nonsense.” Angeana shooed away the thought. “We are your godparents, love. What sense would it be to keep you here and not care for you?”
Noë’s smile faltered. “You’re my godparents?”
Angeana came to a stop beside her as her eyes welled.
Immediately she pulled her into a hug. “Before she passed, your mother asked your aunt to fulfil the role, and Kirk asked Lefelgd to be your godfather. I could never hope to replace the love your mother and your aunt gave you. Nor would I want to. But I hope you’ll be able to find comfort here amongst family.”
Noë brushed her tears away forcefully, not wanting to appear weak again before her. “Is it okay if I just call you my aunt and uncle?”
Angeana pulled back, wiping away a remaining tear. She could see Noë stuffing her feelings down, not wanting to cause a scene, but she was owed a grieving period. “Of course, whatever makes you comfortable, mele.” She squeezed her hand tight. “You know you may confide in me, if you’d like?”
Noë nodded wordlessly. Those were feeling she could not unpack right now, and did not wish too as they stood in the busy walkway where eleves tall and taller stared at her as if she were missing a head.
“Okay.” Angeana said as she rubbed her arm. “Do not mind them. I would have thought housing humans would teach us to be kind to others, but it only hardened the biases seclusion such as this causes. They will warm to you soon. This party will be perfect for it.”
Noë fixed her dress.
She supposed with her hair now black she did look like an ordinary human.
She longed for home, where appearance and title did not matter. Was she good enough to be staying just a tower over from royalty such as this? Did she belong amongst them?
Her thoughts went to Orion and Haemir’s words about how coldly they treat him in the capital. If someone as capable and talented–even handsome as he was could face that kind of scrutiny, what hope was there for her?
Noticing the discomfort still on her face, Angeana eyed the elf before them dressed in lemon yellow, her hat trailing summer ribbons down her sparkle gowned back. “Verelle, how lovely to see you this morning.”
Noë watched the elven woman drop low in her curtsy to Angeana, her face painted heavily. Her bright cheeks blushed several shades too bright for her.
Angeana bent down and whispered to her as they were safely away. “It is said Lady Verelle paints her face heavy to hide the age lines, but really it is to hide the scarring from the blemishes she gained from sickness due to her lover.”
Noë’s eyes opened wide with her mouth as she heard the scandal come from the Queen’s mouth. She saw Angeana’s bright blue eyes play joyously as she kept from laughing. “Her lover?”
“Yes,” Angeana nodded “worse than that, she has several and she does not know who gave it to her. Her husband was seething.”
Noë held Angeana’s arm for strength as they laughed quietly. Angeana continued nodding, accepting the greetings that passed to appear normal.
Noë felt her heart grow light as Angeana bent over again, “Lady Keir, yes yes the pleasure is mine.” she returned to Noë’s ear, “Past competition for your uncle. She may have even succeeded if she hadn’t been caught in the stables with three dwarves.”
“Lord Meaks, yes, hello.”
Angeana did not let up.
“Hairpiece.” she added as Noë spotted the blond tuft under his hat blowing upwards to show a supremely bald scalp.
This time they both fell apart, unable to contain their laughter.
The guards closed in as they collected themselves, tears of joy springing from their eyes. Angeana righted herself as they began to move again. “We all have things we turn from other’s for. But do not let them make you feel as if you do not belong. Every space you exist in is yours, you come and go as you wish on your terms not anyone else's.”
Noë exhaled the pressure she put on herself. The perception of others was not for her to worry about. “Thank you for saying that. I did not know how much I needed to hear it.”
They entered a shop built and furnished with black wood, gold lettering and signs written in ornate Elvish script hung high in the ceilings, the top of the shop underneath the glass roof was a green house, plants and vines hanging below adding to the fresh air pushing through it from high on the mountain.
Orbed lanterns hung from the rafters lighting the space effortlessly. It was as if the torrential storms brought to Tiere were simply built around, crumbling walls and intrusive plants only adding to its new-aged allure.
Throughout the rows of fabric and pre-made dresses were stands showcasing the gowns from one wall to the other, all assorted by colour and length.
Mandarin orange and sweet mint swept through to cinnamon green and emboldened lavenders.
Noë touched the loose fabric hanging close to her, a sample of beautiful royal blue printed with silver flowers and vines.
This was a dream. She was sure of it.
How else could so many of her fantasies come alive?
“My Queen, hello!” A tall elf approached, gorgeous with a cut jaw and lithe frame, their torso wrapped in different colour fabrics with handmade measuring strings already in their hands. They looked at Noë in surprise.
Angeana wrapped an arm around her shoulder and looked to Lillir and several other mothers in the store. “Lillir, this is Princess Nott Verdulke, daughter of our Late King Kirk Verdulke of Karth and Aztrit Odinsdottir. I trust it is without saying that all should welcome her as they welcome my husband and I?”
Lillir bowed deeply over themselves, “Of course, Your Grace. It goes without saying.” They lifted up and took several loose fabrics from around her, gears turning in their mind already as they attempted to find the right colours for her hair. “Vala, your eyes–divine. Simply divine.” They eyed her stature. “But your height–much to be desired. Come, we’ll make something new.”
Noë fought the embarrassment at their comment as Angeana patted her. Who on earth could expect her to be as tall as they were?
They led her to a back room for her to try several of the gowns they pulled for her already shortened, but none had been capable of slipping past her bust or hips yet.
As Angeana gave her one more–a little looser in the collar in waist–Noë felt hope.
She slipped it on and exited to find three elven women sitting on pink cushioned chairs, shock passing their faces as they whispered and giggled, blatantly pointing at the strain on the dress Noë’s body caused.
Angeana sighed happily seeing the purple tulle fit on her, though it was snug on her hips. She gripped the fabric, turning it on Noë’s body as she adjusted it.
“It is snug, but it should do for now until we have other’s made. What do you think darling?”
Noë covered her tummy, feeling spectacularly naked in front of them all.
She had never felt so unattractive in her life.
She looked up to the ceiling suppressing the tears welling again. If she did not get a moment to herself right this moment, she would burst.
“Noë?” Angeana spoke in concern as she saw the tears begin to fall. As she returned to the fitting room in a rush to get away, Angeana looked over her shoulder where Lady Gren and her horrible twin daughters sat giggling.
Angeana stilled her cold glare as they realised she was looking at them. “Tell me Lady Gren, was it when your husband left you for a man half your age that you decided on being a jealous lay about, or was it precisely now when you saw my beloved niece?”
At Angeana’s pointed words Lady Gren and her daughters rose, curtsying in apology to her. “Your Grace, I am sorry, she looked human. I did not know she was with you.”
The way she spat the word human out told Angeana everything she needed to know. “Human or not, we are above treating others that way. Consider your marriage proposal for Lina to my Keteor declined. And if I hear another word about my niece or any human from you, you shall find you and your family living amongst them outside the city walls.”
Lady Gren shook with quiet rage before bowing. “Your Grace. Come girls.”
As they left, Angeana let go of her shoulders and sighed. “Lillir?” as the elf appeared before her she rubbed her brows. “I apologise for running your business away. Please close the shop for us.”
Lillir bowed, immediately tending to the Queen’s wishes.
Noë exited the room, calm now that she had released much of the tension in her chest. She wiped at her eyes as Lillir took the dresses from her she would not be using.
“None of them, sweet?” Angeana touched her shoulder as her niece shook her head. “Even better. Perhaps we should look at fabrics and make something instead?”
Happily Noë agreed, just as Lillir sat them down to tea and cakes where Lady Gren had vacated. Not long after they followed with a wooden rack filled with fabrics, including several shades of blue and purple pushed to the side.
Lillir pointed to the blue, “These are the few you were looking at Your Grace, that Princess Oncinth rejected.”
Angeana put down her third blackberry cake and used the napkin on her lap. “Yes, oh thank you. Do you have any pins or necklaces? Something silver–brilliant silver though–for Noë’s eyes? And slippers to match. Let’s start with basic colours initially.”
Noë felt her head spin.
Was it even possible for this shop to have so much within it? Were all cities like this? But as she felt the soft satin, the rough tulle, and generous cushioned wool in colours she had only dreamed of, she did not care. She was in heaven once more.
Drawn to two fabrics on the far side of the rack, Noë reached out touching them gently examining them as Angeana and Lillir debated the shoes they picked.
Before her was a powdered blue so light it shone of silver, and a pearlescent fabric light and sheer enough to sparkle with the light in long bands of golden light.
Lillir came close to her, “We liked those too but we could not figure out how to make them work. This sheer is beautiful, but we don’t want to expose you for your first celebration at court.
Noë looked at them closer, not giving up yet. “Do you have paper and ink?” she had to get the image of the dress out before she lost it.
Lillir returned with the items she requested and she sat on the raised platform for modelling clothes. She took the coal he had and dragged it along the rough yellow surface, curving the lines of the dress gently where she imagined her own, with gentle straps crossed over her breasts with pearlescent fabric washing down her back much like the waterfall she saw on the way there.
Angeana and Lillir peaked over her shoulders, stifling their audible gasps as they saw her work. Lillir tapped the page where she finished and showed them. “This…this we could do.”
To be continued...